Note on catching carp on the fly during cicada fall without meaning to

Caught my first two carp ever this past Friday while casting a small hopper
pattern for bluegills. The certain mid-Atlatnic impoundment where I fished
has lots of big carp, but this was a surprise, since they've always ignored
my flies (and worms and minnows when I fished here with my dad here as a
kid). Both times I figured I'd hooked a largemouth, only there was something
oddly lumbering about the fight of the fish. Both fish brought to hand
within five minutes on a 4x tippet and 2-weight rod. Carp are stupendously
ugly fish, in the eyes of this particular beholder. I actually felt grossed
out having to handle the odd rubbery jaws to get the fly out.

Cicadas were falling to the water in plentiful quantities during the hour or
two I spent fishing, and I noticed each cicada fall was signaled by the
repeated smacking takes of bluegills too small to get their mouths around
them. Eventually a bigger fish - I'd assumed bass, since in the several
cases I could see through the water, that's what they were - would attend
the dinner bell and remove the cicada.

I've always found it strange to see the pods of large carp here, but never
any juveniles.

"Flying Squirrel" wrote in message
...

I actually felt grossed out


As a youngster fishing the Lt. Spokane river I caught a couple suckers. Went
to eat the lunch my Mom prepared and had to pass on the Macaroni salad, the
elbow noodles reminded me too much of the nasty sucker fish lips...
As I recall, the sandwich didn't go down very easy either.

JT

It could have been the carps taking cicadas. I read an article not too long ago
where someone saw
that happening.

Jeff Taylor wrote:

"Flying Squirrel" wrote in message
...


I actually felt grossed out



As a youngster fishing the Lt. Spokane river I caught a couple suckers. Went
to eat the lunch my Mom prepared and had to pass on the Macaroni salad, the
elbow noodles reminded me too much of the nasty sucker fish lips...
As I recall, the sandwich didn't go down very easy either.


What's the big deal? They're just fish and they don't even have any teeth!

Willi

Willi wrote:

What's the big deal? They're just fish and they don't even have any teeth!

I think that's the problem -- no teeth. Bonefish don't have teeth,
either, but I've never heard of anyone getting grossed out by one.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 13:52:23 -0400, "Flying Squirrel"
wrote:

I've always found it strange to see the pods of large carp here, but never
any juveniles.

I've never seen any carp under a couple of pounds, either. Hmm.
Maybe they're like mourning doves and the young keep hidden away until
they're of a size to get out in main waters?

Anyone know? Or am I just unobservant?


--

rbc:vixen,Minnow Goddess,Willow Watcher,and all that sort of thing.
Often taunted by trout.
Only a fool would refuse to believe in luck. Only a damn fool would rely on it.

http://www.visi.com/~cyli

"Willi" wrote in message
...


What's the big deal? They're just fish and they don't even have any teeth!


Not sure that it was a big deal really, just what my pea brain decided to
think. When I saw the lips on the sucker and the elbow noodles, I equated
the two and it grosses my out...?

Teeth per say have never really been and issue, however, I once caught a
ratfish that I wasn't about to touch.

JT

"rw" wrote in message
m...
Willi wrote:

What's the big deal? They're just fish and they don't even have any
teeth!

I think that's the problem -- no teeth. Bonefish don't have teeth,
either, but I've never heard of anyone getting grossed out by one.

It's the sucker lips!

JT

Large carp here in Southern Illinois are not uncommon Some in the 20-30
pound range are pretty normal. I would say asmall one is like the one I
caught about a month ago,2-15pounds. Some people may consider them "trash'
fish but many around here don't. Many people fish just for carp. If
prepared correctly they are very good. We haven't had our cicada hatch yet
for this year. It is usually a little later in the Summer. Most people
that baitfish are waiting for the catalpa worms to appear. Thanks Mike

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 09:22:06 -0700, "Jeff Taylor" wrote:


"rw" wrote in message
om...
Willi wrote:

What's the big deal? They're just fish and they don't even have any
teeth!

I think that's the problem -- no teeth. Bonefish don't have teeth,
either, but I've never heard of anyone getting grossed out by one.

It's the sucker lips!

It's true. While Bonefish can totally slime a windshirt if you cradle one for
a photo-op, I've never had a problem with bones. Even big Bonefish mouths look
delicate compared to sucker lips. I get *really* grossed out if a sucker
catches my fly in the lip. Yucko!

/daytripper (them things is just plain nasty!)